A Heart Worth the Breaking
by mav32
Summary: Juliet thought she wanted a cookie cutter man. The problem is that no amount of grease or use of shoehorns could get Shawn Spencer to fit into anybody's mold.


A/N: So i bought Gus walks into a bank from itunes and watched it a night early. In my ensuing adrenaline rush, I stayed up until two, writing this. It's my very first ever one shot/romance/fluff/shules ever. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Psych, or the song One Sweet Love, by Sara Bareilles. I don't make any money from this...

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_**Just about the time the shadows call  
I undress my mind and dare you to follow  
**_

She gave one last goodbye, fighting not to peek through the slowly closing door until it finally clicked shut. A long, trembling sigh escaped her lips. Her eyes closed. She leaned against the door, her knees suddenly weak.

He hadn't even tried to stay…

_**Paint a portrait of my mystery  
Only close my eyes and you are here with me  
A nameless face to think I see  
To sit and watch the waves with me till they're gone**_

His smile remained imprinted on the back of her eye lids. It wasn't cocky, or fake. It didn't betray any hidden agendas or crazy schemes. It wasn't forced or unnatural.

It _was_ infectious. Just the thought of it made her skin tingle, the corners of her mouth curling into the beginnings of a grin.

Any other day, any other date, and she'd be kicking off her shoes, skipping around the house while emitting girlish squeals and spilling the story to her closest friend.

The problem was, he wasn't a date. She was going out with someone else.

The "someone else" was everything she thought she wanted. The someone else had direction, purpose, maturity. Maybe even too much so... Someone else was the exact opposite of the one she had just said goodbye to.

That man was now walking down the street, hands in his pockets, wondering where he went wrong.

He'd only been trying to make it right again…

But she hadn't given him the chance.

_**  
A heart I'd swear I'd recognize is made out of  
My own devices...  
Could I be wrong?**_

The man walking down the street was really more boy than man. He had no direction, no goals, no idea of what was socially acceptable… That's why even after he'd made her smile, gone out of his way to try and make her see… She had decided he couldn't be what she wanted.

He certainly didn't fit the checklist of what she looked for in her Prince Charming- the checklist she'd had since she was 10. She'd promised herself that a man had to match no less than 20 of her 25 points to be eligible. _He_ met four.

_1. He was, in fact, a male._

_2. He could bowl, _(or so he said…)

_3. He was taller than her._

_4. He made her laugh._

She could do better than four. Her parents had taught her from the time she was little to never settle for less than she deserved or she would get hurt. She told herself she could do better than him.

As she slipped off her shoes and made her way to her bedroom, she started to think she might have misjudged him.

He had been right… He really did look good in that lighting on the pier. The setting sun had reflected off his hazel eyes, the light dancing as he laughed. It was when she joined in, her hand unconsciously reaching for his that she realized… she couldn't wish for much better.

_**The time that I've taken  
I pray is not wasted  
Have I already tasted my piece of one sweet love?**_

Her mind flashed back to all the times he'd dropped everything to help her with a case, but one in particular stood out in her mind.

He'd stayed behind, found her alone at her desk. It was his uncharacteristic nervousness that caught her attention. He usually seemed so sure of himself. But as he leaned in, a hand on her shoulder, the façade had fallen apart, revealing nothing more than a restless kid who'd spent who knows how long just working up the courage to make it this far…

She used to think he was nothing more than a womanizer. He had after all ended up with a date after almost every case.

But if he really, truly, cared nothing about respecting women, then why had he hesitated in kissing her that night? It would have been so easy for him to just go for it- but he'd stopped…and waited…waited for_ her_.

_**Sleepless nights you creep inside of me  
Paint your shadows on the breath that we share  
You take more than just my sanity  
You take my reason not to care.**_

His eyes had been boring into her own, pleading and anxious, wondering if he'd just blown the only chance he'd ever get. She didn't know what to do. Some part of her told her to take a step back and slap him. Another, much stronger part, made her stay right where she was.

In between the look in his eyes, his scent and warm breath on her skin, she had somehow managed to concentrate enough to politely turn him down. But the way he walked away grinning, you would never know it.

He knew she wanted it and that's what scared her more than anything.

He knew her too well- her likes, dislikes, what she was feeling. The last one in particular was most troubling. She made a living off of reading people…but the one person she couldn't quite grasp could read her like a book. She had a feeling that the reason didn't involve anything psychic in nature.

The night he'd set up the couple's skate, she'd come too close to giving in. He was feeling confident and she was scared.

She had never known anyone to go out of their way like he did for her. When she asked for help, he was always right there, no questions asked.

All he ever asked for in return was a chance.

She'd never seen him devote as much energy to something as when he was chasing after her. And all she did was keep running. Now she feared she'd blown it.

The look in his eyes when he'd found out she was dating… the way he told her that all wanted was for her to be happy, even if it was with someone else…

He wouldn't be following her anymore.

_**The time that I've taken  
I pray is not wasted  
Have I already tasted my piece of one sweet love?**_

She'd turned him down so many times because she was afraid- afraid that he wouldn't commit, that he wouldn't take it seriously. She realized now that more than anything, she was afraid he'd break her heart.

She wanted to be friends because it was safe. He would always be around that way. She would always have a relationship with him if they could just stay friends.

She hadn't wanted to risk trying something more in fear that it was really a mistake and would end. Then she'd lose him forever.

She had been so scared of getting hurt that she didn't realize how much she was hurting him. It was time for her to stop worrying about what might happen. He hadn't hurt her yet. Was he worth the risk?

_**  
Ready and waiting for a heart worth the breaking  
But I'd settle for an honest mistake in the name of  
One sweet love.  
**_

She sat on her bed and pulled out a legal pad. She chewed on the end of her pen and started writing.

_Prince Charming (take two)_

Her mind raced. What did she want? She wasn't a ten year old girl anymore. The petty things like tall, dark and handsome weren't what she wrote down now. These were real things, things that mattered to her now-things that would create her ultimate knight in shining armor.

Thirty minutes later, she sat back against her headboard and looked over her work. She had been taught to chase her dreams, go after what she wanted before the opportunity passed. She hoped it wasn't too late to get what she wanted.

There were ten points written out on her list. But they could be summed up into one word.

_**  
The earth that is the space between,  
I'd banish it from under me...to get to you.  
Your unexpected love provides my solitary's  
Suicide...oh I wish I knew**_

_**The time that I've taken  
I pray is not wasted  
Have I already tasted my piece of one sweet love?  
Ready and waiting for a heart worth the breaking  
But I'd settle for an honest mistake in the name of  
One sweet love.**_

"Shawn."

"Jules?" He looked up from his pinball machine, looking startled, but masking it with a smile. "What are you doing here…? Did he cancel on you again?"

His protective tone caused her to smile. "No, I did." She leaned against his desk causally, watching him.

"You-?" Shawn's eyebrows drew together in confusion as he left his game and moved across from her, half sitting on Gus's desk. "Why? Did you come down with a cold that you only want to share with me?"

"You want the truth?"

Shawn nodded thoughtfully. "I think I can handle it."

Juliet bit her lip. "I kept picturing… old saggy man boobs."

Shawn pumped his fist in triumph. "He does have them!"

Juliet pushed off from his desk and folded her arms across her chest, slowly walking forward. "I just realized I really didn't want to find out."

"Oh really…" Shawn cocked his head as he watched her approach. "That doesn't turn you on? I'm surprised."

She smiled. "Where's Gus?"

Shawn sighed. "Oh he's out with one of the bank tellers. You know, the whole Stockholm syndrome thing." He shrugged.

"Stockholm syndrome?" Juliet laughed.

"Yeah, he said something about life is fleeting, he needs to say the things he's feeling and act on them, blah blah…" Shawn trailed off.

Juliet frowned, noticing the hopeless look in on his face as he stared at the floor. "Shawn,"

He looked up and met her eyes, taken aback by the serious look she wore. "Jules…" He said in an equally somber tone, only a hint of humor showing through.

Juliet hesitated, what was she supposed to say? "I'm sorry, Shawn."

"Sorry?" He cocked an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For…being selfish."

"Selfish? Did…you not share something with me? Was it a pineapple?"

"I didn't give you a chance…"

He sighed, "Jules, I-."

She took another step forward. In surprise, Shawn slipped off Gus's desk, leaving them only inches apart.

Juliet locked eyes with him, she leaned in, her lips brushing against his, then she stopped.

Shawn searched her eyes. "Isn't this a mistake?" he asked quietly.

"I'm willing to find out."

He smiled.

_**Ready and waiting for a heart worth the breaking  
But I'd settle for an honest mistake in the name of  
One sweet love.**_

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A/N: Could you tell i'm so uncomfortable writing this kind of thing? Drop a review please!


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